If you ever have felt that no one hears or sees you at work, you’re not alone. Poor communication within organizations could easily be the No. 1 complaint that is heard time and time again. You would think that knowing this is a key issue plaguing many organizations that someone would do something about it! Admittedly it can be tough to address something as important as communication when it is difficult to prove the organization’s return on investment. That is, if you invest time and even money into resolving the organization’s internal communication needs, what is the payback for the organization?

Such a disruption is rarely welcomed by employees and managers during a busy workday, as most of us view meetings as a largely unproductive but necessary evil. But is it possible to actually enjoy meetings? Absolutely.

A 2010 post in the Harvard Business Review went so far as to suggest that some of us secretly love meetings for three main reasons: 1) we enjoy an occasion for social contact; 2) they keep us in the loop; and 3) being invited represents status (“I’m important”) and that our opinion is valued.

Fun is one of the most underrated business tools we own. When you create a fun working environment, it leads to happy, loyal and more productive employees as well as an innovative organization that attracts new opportunities.

It is well documented that laughter releases endorphins, and that leads to a sense of well-being and optimism. Now apply this to the workplace as one California researcher recently did. His study showed that people who enjoy a little fun and humour on the job tend to be more creative, are more effective at decision making and get along better with others. These employees also chalk up fewer absent, late and sick days.

There are some vital differences in managing a team as compared to managing individuals. The art of creating, managing and nurturing a team — whether assembled for a specific construction project, pulled together to solve a business challenge, or to serve in an ongoing multidisciplinary effort such as a football team — can be a challenge, but one that offers great rewards for the entire organization.

Some managers may believe their only role in building a successful work team is to put together the right people, then stand back and let them do their thing until the task is completed. Not so.